New Abbey Church

Why “New Abbey”?

Throughout church history, some believers would covenant together to live with one another, navigating their spiritual journeys together in communities called abbeys. Here, people with all types of vocations (e.g. the baker, tailor, gardener, tanner, brewer, etc.) worked together and served each other through their various gifting and resources. It was a beautiful picture of communal life, each one placing community before self—a radical shift from what was occurring in the outside world. One of the limitations of the old abbey model was that it was marked by a particular location—an individual building or a cluster of them. New Abbey, on the other hand, will continue on the tradition of “community” but will not be defined by walls or a monastery. We will be defined by being a people “doing life together.” We are New Abbey.

Why diversity?

The Gurnee/Waukegan area is ready to birth a church that is diverse in every way. New Abbey’s desire to be diverse is not fueled by societal pressure, but solely driven by the Gospel. Race, socio-economic factors, tradition, and perception continue to foster barriers, preventing reconciliation and unity to occur. Fortunately, the gospel breaks these barriers down, creating a context where authentic relationships can be formed and cultivated.

Why gospel?

Even more importantly, diversity and reconciliation is only possible if we are first reconciled with God. The gospel is at the heart of New Abbey. God came down through his son Jesus Christ to reconcile us to Himself—he did this by dying for our sins, taking on the punishment we deserve, and resurrecting as our Lord and Savior. Our desire is to come alongside all types of people, as they journey towards a knowledge and relationship with Jesus Christ. This is the hope of New Abbey.